Apparatus for reclaiming gasoline



July 7, 1925. 1,545,210

A. D. STEWART APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING GASOLINE Filed Jar 21, 1924v INVENTOR fl'rchibald Donald fjtewart ATTORNE.

Patented July 7,

ow stares v 1,545,210 PM-m err-s. I

anonisatn nonstns'rnwan'rg or western; new some AI PARATU S EO'R RECLAIMING GASOLINE.

Application filed January 21, 1924; Serial No. seam.

My invention relates to appliances or apparatus for purifying or reclaiming gasoline and similar cleansin liquids after theyhave been employed for c caning purposes so that the liquids can be reused usually under mod- 1 ern conditions in a substantially continuous system of circulation from the cleaning or washing. apparatus to the reclaimingor purifying apparatus andback agaln, or

sometimes, with an interposed storage tank.

While the invention is here exemplified'by structure especially adapted for cleaning gasoline or similar light hydrocarbons, it is not necessarily limited as to its utility,

but may be employed wherever conditions are substantially similar.

-An important objectof the invention is to provide means to first consolidate, or to a considerable extent separategthe'contained greases from the dirty cleansing liquid, and to then subject the partially separated or collected greases to an alkaline solution to convert or fix them and separate them finally from the cleaning liquid,

Another object 1s to lntroduce the dirty v gasoline into an alkaline solution or other liquid for the removal of grease or other impurities without unduly agitating or t'urbing the cleansing solution or liquid, and

in. such a way that the grease or other im- 1 purities will collect in a sump from which they are easily removable.

A. further object is to provide easy means for cleaning pipes or other passagesof the' apparatus and. also for'agitating the waste material in the sump and removing it.

The invention consists in apparatus or structures for realizing the above stated and other objects and advanta es, as Suficiently'further explained herea 'er. In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 shows apparatus embodying the invention in one form, two cleaning. appliances being shown in series, with one of them .in section. F g e 2 s e et l in t p plan of the 'within two tanks, 1 and 2," which are conplate shaped, as shown. Connection from the cleaning-liquid injecting or distributing id". vice. V I

The apparatus 'as here embodied consists of suitable parts ordevicesmainly arranged venien'tly of circular cross section. The internal structure of both tanks may be sub stantially similar or identical, although the mode of using them when arranged in series in the system, may be somewhat diiierent as suificiently explained hereafter.

' As suiiiciently shown in connection with tank 1, each cylindrical tank body has a top or header 3, and at the bottom a sump 4 whichis conveniently, although not necessarily, in inverted conical form. The tanks are often. burieol in the ground; otherwise, when arranged above-ground suitable supports will be'provided,

Between the sump and the main tank interior is a substantially horizontal partition which rn'ay, he moderately dome sump to the main tank is afiorded by an opening Get one side'of the partition. I

Suitable purifying liquid or solution is placed in each sump. Usually an alkaline solution, such' as caustic soda, is placed in the sump ottank 1, mainly for the purpose of removing grease from the cleansing liquid, while water may be placed in the sump of tank 2 to'remove other extraneous matter, sufiiciently described as non-greasy.

To properly introduce the cleaning liquid into the sump without undue'disturbance of 9 the liquid or solution therein, I provide asuitable number of distributing devices, which, in the present case, are specifically'in' the form of hollow balls 7, provided with i Tu wardly directed discharge apertures 8,

w ich may occupy substantially the upper half, 'or somewhat lem, of the ball surface.

iA' pipe 9 is connected to each ball at the top and all these pipes-are connected to a 4-way coupling 10', me this in turnis'connected by nection to pipe 12, but otherwise, and preferi ably inmost cases, the liquid is first con-l ducted to' a. preliminary separatmg a aratus or chamber, as further describe ereafter. 1.. n f Desirably, a shield or b fie plate it 1s 10- upper portion of the preliminary chamber will be of relatively large area, and the chamber may then taper down to the point of connection to pipe 12. A plurality of horizontal partitions or battle plates 22 are arranged in the upper portion of the intermediate chamber, communicating openings 23 being provided in preferably staggered arrangement; and desirably, cleats or ritlle flanges 24 are provided on the upper surfaces of these plates.

The dirty cleaning liquid is introduced through a pipe 30 which, in this instance, discharges above the upper partition or separating plate 22 in intermediate chamber 20. Since tank 1 is usually the first in the series, if more than one tank is employed, the cleaning liquir it enters contains not only a considerable quantity of extraneous matter which comes under the general heading of non-greasy dirt, but also contains a large amount of various heavyoils or greases extracted from fabrics or garments. In the flow of the liquid over the rillle flanges, and the plates 22, in the circuitous course provided by the staggered arrangement of the communicating openings 23, the liquid'is thoroughly stirred or agitated and the grease is to a great extent collected, agglomerated or separated m a physical sense from the gasoline; or otherwise stated, the grease is collected into particles or lumps of greater or less size, which pass along with the gasoline through pipe 12 to the distributing balls 7 and out through their discharge openings, which direct the liquid upward toward and against the ballle plates 14. v 1

By reason of the considerable number of distributing balls and the large number of relatively small openings therein, and further by reason of the ballle plates which check the course of the discharged liquid and divert it downward through the caustic solution, the flow ot' the dirty and greasy liquid is at moderate speed, and undue agitaticnot the purifying solution avoided, while at the same time a very intimate contact of the dirty hydrocarbon and the grease therein with the cleansing. solution is insured. The grease is converted. or solidified by the caustic solution, this operation being greatly facilitated by the previous partial separation or agglomeration of the grease above referred to. The separated grease remains in the sump while the gasoline containing 1,54aa1o more or less non-greasy dirt risesthrough aperture 6 toward the top of the tank, from which it is taken off through a pipe l0 to tank 2, in which the operations may be similar, except that in some cases the prelim inary or initial separating chamber 20 may be omitted. I

A vent pipe 50 is desirably provided, leading from any suitable outlet point through header 3 and through partition plate 5 to a point of connection with the sump, to take oli air or accumulated gases. A steam pipe 51 is also desirably provided, leading from any desirable source of steam under suitable pressure, through the header and partition 5 to a point of connection with pipe fitting 11. At suitable intervals steam may be admitted through pipe 51 to pipes 9 and balls 7 to clear from them and the discharge openings 8, any accumulated grease or other obstructing material Asteam pipe 52 is' also desirably provided, leading to a discharge point 53, somewhat above the bottom of the sump, and a cleaning pipe 54 is also provided, having its opening 55 located near the sump bottom. Steam is admitted at intervals through pipe 52 to agitate and loosen the accumulated grease or other material in the sump, which is then drawn off through pipe 54.

Fresh caustic solution may be introduced into the sump in any convenient way, for instance, by pouring it through pipe 30 by any suitable valve connection; or a separate opening may be provided in the intermediate chamber 20 for this purpose.

The pipe connections to tank 2 may be substantially similar, and exterior portions of the pipe are identified by the same numerals as the corresponding pipes of tank 1.

The principal function of tank 2 is to remove non-greasy matter from the cleaning I lupud; othcrw1se the operation 1s substantially the same as explained in connection with tank 1. The purified cleaning liquid is dischargedfrom tank 2 through a pipe 60 to a storage tank or directly to a cleaning apparatus, andsuitable pumps are provided as necessary for the circulation of the. liquid.

The present. invention does not relate to the general cleaninginstallation or to the circulating system thereof, and such details are therefore not shown.

After considering this exenmlifying embodiment, persons skilled in the art will understand that many variations may be made within the scope of the invention, and l sump and tank, a plurality of distributors substantially symmetrically arranged in the sump, a pipe fitting and pipe branches leading. therefrom tothe distributors, a preliminary chamber connected to said pipe fitting, means for supplying dirty cleaning liquid tothe' preliminary chamber, and means in nary chamber connected to said pipe fitting,

means for supplying dirty cleaning --liquid to the preliminary chamber, means in said chamber for efiecting preliminary separa tion of extraneous matter from the cleaning liquid, and a steam pipe connected'to said pipe fitting to clear out-the distributors and their connecting pipes and discharge openings. v I y 3. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a tank, a partition defining a sump atthe lower end of the tank and having an opening for communication between the sump and tank, a plurality of distributors symmetrically arranged in the sum a pipe fitting and pipe branches leading tile to the 'distr1but0rs,'a preliminarychamber connected to said pipe fitting, means for supplying dirty cleaning liquid to thepreliminary chamber, means in said chamber for effecting preliminary. separation of extraneous matter from the cleaning liquid,

thereof. I

{5. Apparatus of the class described,com: prising a tank, a partition defining 'asump refroin and a Vent pipe communicating with the sump close to said partition.

4. Apparatus of the class at the lower end of the tank and having an opening for communication between the sump and tank, a plurality of distributors symmetrically arranged in the sump, a pipe I fitting and pipe branches leading therefrom to the distributors, a preliminary chamber connected to said'pipe fitting, means for supplying dirty cleaning liquid to the prelimi I described, com prising a tank, a partition defining a sump nary chamber, means in said chamber for efiecting preliminary separation of extra-\ neous' matter from the cleaning liquid, and

a discharge pipe and a steam'pipe cominum r sump near the bottom cating' with the at the lower end of the tank and having an opening for communication between the sump and tank, a plurality of distributors 5i 1, symmetrically arranged in the sump, a pipe to the distributors, a preliminary. chamber connected to said pipe fitting, means'forg fitting and pipe branches leading there-from supplying dirty cleaning liquid to the pre' limlnary chamber, means in said chamber for efi'ectingpreliminary separation of-ex-Il I traneous matter from the cleaning liquid, a vent pipe communicating with the sump close to said artition, and a steam pipe con-- 0 3 o nected to said pipe fittingto clear out the 5 i distributors and their connecting pipes and discharge openings. I I

Signed at New Yorkin the county of New. I York and State of New York this 17th day of January A, v

' ARCHIBALD [ENABLE-"STEWART;

or I 

